#Profanity and BBSs
Craig,
I'm not sure about the private nature of the forums applying here, although
I admit I ain't a legal scholar. The reason I would doubt it is it would
seem to me such an approach would run afoul of the constitutional right of
free speech. Put another way, the phone company does NOT have the right to
terminate certain phone calls because of offensive content. Why should a
communications network be any different? And yes, the phone system is a
quasi-public entity (hence it being subject to regulation), but I think the
principle still applies. And besides, they're getting more and more
private all the time with MCI, US Sprint, etc.
Also, I'd be interested in your reaction to my replies to Don and Steve. If
'offensiveness' is the standard for CS, then they MUST allow me to
communicate in the way I did because suppression (which did not take place,
but could in the future) would be offensive to me and other people who feel
as I do about religion.
– Mark